ing satisfied himself the lad had nothing concealed about his
person, he rose to his feet. "Why are you abroad to-day?"

"How long since is it that a lad may not move about as he wishes?"

"Since rebellion first showed its head in these colonies. Now, answer my
question, or it will be the worse for you!"

Isaac, thoroughly alarmed, had made no resistance either by word or
movement when the stranger searched him, and although ignorant, as he
had often said, of warfare, he understood now full well that they were
fallen into the hands of enemies, who would not hesitate at the taking
of human life in order to compass their ends.

Therefore he remained stretched upon the ground as when the men first
came upon them, so terrified that it was almost impossible either to
move or speak.

Young Beman was frightened, but not to such an extent as to prevent him
from displaying anger, and instead of replying to the question he
attempted to rise to his feet.

A blow delivered with unnecessary force sent him headlong to the ground
again, and his captor said warningly:

"Have a care what you are about, Nathan Beman, for we are not disposed
either to bandy words or waste much time on such as you, who, having
professed friendship for those in the fort, was ready to betray them."

Now, Nathan's fears were as great as Isaac's; but he made one more
effort at asserting himself, and began by telling a lie.

"What have I done at the fort? I am but just come from my father's
house."

"Take that for the falsehood, and this for believing us to be fools, who
can be deceived by such as you," the man replied as he viciously kicked
the boy twice. "You have but just come from Ticonderoga, and must have
been sent by the rebels who captured the fort."

"What reason have you for saying that?" Nathan asked in a more subdued
tone.

"First, the fact of your being here, and secondly because your comrade
spoke, while we were within hearing, of your having been sent from
Ticonderoga."

Nathan shot an angry glance toward Isaac as if Corporal 'Lige's recruit
alone was to blame for this unpleasant interruption to the journey; but
he ventured no reply lest further chastisement might follow.

"Tell me to whom you are sent, and have a care in the replying, for we
are not minded to waste much time upon such as you."

Nathan was beginning to understand that he was wholly in the power of an
enemy, whom he could not readily deceive, and also believed th